Every once in a while, something happens in our criminal justice system that makes me shudder. Slated to be released (three years early) from his supermax federal prison sentence, John Walker Lindh – known to most as “American Taliban,” and to his fellow terrorists as Abu Sulayman al Irlandi, which means father of a man of peace of Ireland – will finally regain his freedom. Despite having been charged with ten felony counts, including murder but mostly in relation to weapons and terrorism, he received …
Courier Chat: ‘American Taliban’ and more with Colin Rice
In this episode of Courier Chat, host Alexander Trimis has a conversation about the release of “The American Taliban” and other topics concerning the Middle East.
Fighting terrorism by any means necessary
Terrorism, no matter the perpetrator or target, needs to be condemned immediately and vehemently on all fronts. No form of of this despicable act should be acceptable. It is then necessary to assess the attack and find motives that may potentially lend themselves to a means to fight terrorism.
Political Dissident: White Amerikkka is a terrorist organization
“When the anonymous black person enters the white space, others there immediately try to make sense of him or her—to figure out “who that is,” or to gain a sense of the nature of the person’s business and whether they need to be concerned … Accordingly, the most easily tolerated black person in the white space is often one who is “in his place”—that is, one who is working as a janitor or a service person or one who has been vouched for by white …
San Bernardino coverage shows media bias
On Wednesday, Dec. 2, two alleged terrorists walked into a San Bernardino County building and opened fire on their coworkers. Suspects Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, a married couple, were later killed in a shootout with police. As soon as the alleged suspects were identified, media outlets began labeling the attack an act of terrorism, with the Los Angeles Times splashing the word “terrorism” across its Saturday front page in all caps.
Islamophobia in an age of progress
More than a decade after Al-Qaeda tore down the World Trade Center and massacred almost 3,000 people, Islam is still viewed by many with fear and suspicion. Islamophobia—the dislike and prejudice against Islam and Muslim people—is on the rise in the United States even as the nation progresses toward becoming a more tolerant and accepting society.
Media needs to do a better job at covering tragedies
Major media outlets are more likely to cover tragedies in first-world Western countries than in underdeveloped nations. This is no more evident in the coverage of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris as opposed to the coverage of terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria. The attacks on the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and another attack on a kosher grocery store in the French capital generated global outcry in the hours after they took place. The attacks left a total of 17 people dead. …
Blue Skies and Death
Originally, drones were a great idea. It provided the military with a convenient solution to both the safety of their pilots and their financial overhead. However, that convenience has its costs. Their rampant use has led to rampant civilian deaths, which in turn has led to more resentment toward the U.S.
British passport law steps in right direction
British Prime Minister David Cameron proposed a new law that could revoke passports of individuals suspected of flying to the Middle East to support the “poisonous ideology of Islamic extremism” of ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria. After an estimated 500 British citizens flew to the Middle East to fight alongside similar groups, British Parliament introduced anti-terrorism measures to prevent suspected citizens from reentering the country and even temporary flight bans.